Alexis Smith

Family members:
Daughter in college, son graduated from med school and in residency. Both are back East.Small(minature) Aussie and largish siamese cat keep each other busy. Aussie loves trails.

What I do for work:
Psychotherapist in private practice.

Places Ive called home and why I like where I am now:
Grew up in NY.Lived overseas for about three years.College and grad school in Boston/Cambridge.Have been in Colorado since 1980. Love life here.

When I started running and what got me started:
First time around in Boston in the '70's. On and off, then off until a year plus ago. Needed to get out and away from where I was going and find a better way to get older. Trained and ran Denver Marathon. Then ran some others. Introduced to trails by good friend. Love trails. Love distances.Need speed. Especiallly post chemo.

What does running mean to me:
Picking up where I was going before the planned and unplanned detours in my life. Now that I have come through the other side of a stage IV cancer, running is a gift.I lost some body parts, including an eye, have had radiation and chemo, and I am absolutely happy to get to show up and put one foot in front of the other. I might be the slowest one there, but damn, its good.

Running accomplishments:
I show up.I am smiling.

What I like about trail/mountain running:
Getting outside the box of streets.Finding new places to run.

Favorite trail/mountain race and why:
Collegiate peaks. It was on the day of my first cancerversary. I was last. I got to show up. Enough said.

Best running experience:
My first trail run after finishing chemo.

Worst running experience:
Almost hit by a car that ran the barrier during '07 Denver marathon.

Neatest thing found on a run:
Myself.

Running pet peeves:
Dogs that are not friendly.Or owners with dogs on long leashes that trip me.

Something non running related that no one would guess about me:
Shy and a bit self conscious .